How does ridiculing Muhammad Prophet of Islam address the issue of fanaticism within the religion? That's similar to someone making cartoons making fun of the Buddha Shakyamuni as a response to the behavior of NKT or 'Diamond Way'. Or like making fun of Jesus in response to the fanaticism of Southern Baptists.

I'm not saying that they shouldn't be allowed to do what they did, but I definitely wouldn't encourage it.

Lhug-Pa wrote:How does ridiculing Muhammad Prophet of Islam address the issue of fanaticism within the religion? That's similar to someone making cartoons making fun of the Buddha Shakyamuni as a response to the behavior of NKT or 'Diamond Way'. Or like making fun of Jesus in response to the fanaticism of Southern Baptists.

I'm not saying that they shouldn't be allowed to do what they did, but I definitely wouldn't encourage it.

I prefer to encourage freedom of speech & thought. Capitulation to thugs, religious or otherwise, causes more problems than it solves.

There is strong element in Islam that wants to take over the world for Allah anyway. So the more fear they see in non-Muslims, the stronger they feel, since it is Allah's will being imposed - which is just dandy with these religious totalitarians.

Theosophy says that "All Religions are precious pearls strung on the golden thread of Divinity". This being said, my main point is: Why not ridicule fanaticism itself within the religion, instead making fun of Islam's Prophet.

Zionism is still scarier than "Islamic" fanaticism overall. At least Muslims don't control usury-style international-banking and bulldoze people's homes. I wouldn't be surprised if many fanatical "Islamic" groups are Zionist-backed.

Will wrote:"All Muslims" are not required, only the barbaric ones, of which there are many millions.

Many millions? That's a big claim. Prove it.

That is your priority, a barbarism census within Islam? Go to it, why not start the census and report back after studying whatever data you like.

I prefer to face the fact that Islamic murderers & assassins are a danger to world peace (ah remember that meme) and will not be satisfied with anything less than 'surrender' (which is what Allah demands).

The Kalacakra prophecy is unfolding slowly and at some point this barbaric, totalitarian movement must be opposed with thoughts, words and deeds. Now is as good a time as any.

Will wrote:"All Muslims" are not required, only the barbaric ones, of which there are many millions.

Many millions? That's a big claim. Prove it.

That is your priority, a barbarism census within Islam? Go to it, why not start the census and report back after studying whatever data you like.

I prefer to face the fact that Islamic murderers & assassins are a danger to world peace (ah remember that meme) and will not be satisfied with anything less than 'surrender' (which is what Allah demands).

You made the claim that there are millions of barbarians in Islam, not me, so the burden of proof is on you. I'm suggesting that if you lack such proof, your statement lacks truthfulness (you are speaking from stereotype and not fact), and hence, it is not right speech.

I think your comments in this thread are divisive and ill-informed. They would be more convincing if you started from a position of fact rather than invective and hyperbole.

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Lhug-Pa wrote:Zionism is still scarier than "Islamic" fanaticism overall. At least Muslims don't control usury-style international-banking and bulldoze people's homes. I wouldn't be surprised if many fanatical "Islamic" groups are Zionist-backed.

Big claim. Do you have any evidence at all that there is some cabal of Jewish moneylenders controlling global finance?

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It would be great if every non-Muslim nation had at least one brave media outlet that would regularly make fun of, criticize and sneer at the barbaric notions Islam practices.

Not all Muslims are barbaric.

And luckily there have never been Buddhists at any point in history that have ever acted barbarically.

Are we forgetting how the Thais and Burmese used to slaughter each other and ravage & burn down each other's Viharas? Are we forgetting how certain powerful sects see it fit to suppress another? I could go on but these are enough for now...

Oh and Will, it's my poor opinion that each nation's media outlet could do better highlighting causes of social justice for the poor and marginalised and push for reforms to benefit all ranks in their respective societies than engage in pages of circus stunts...

Last edited by plwk on Thu Sep 20, 2012 2:23 am, edited 1 time in total.

It would be great if every non-Muslim nation had at least one brave media outlet that would regularly make fun of, criticize and sneer at the barbaric notions Islam practices.

Not all Muslims are barbaric.

And luckily there have never been Buddhists at any point in history that have ever acted barbarically.

Are we forgetting how the Thais and Burmese used to slaughter each other and ravage & burn down each other's Viharas? Are we forgetting how certain powerful sects see it fit to suppress another? I could go on but these are enough for now...

My comment was sarcastic, which is why I used this smiley:

How foolish you are, grasping the letter of the text and ignoring its intention! - Vasubandhu

Will wrote:If anyone has thoughts about the thread topic - what to do or not do, about the Western fear-based, voluntary suppression of critical speech regarding Islam - please chime in.

Can something be both "fear-based" and "voluntary"?

One solution might be to require anyone who wants to write about Islam or Muslims, in newspapers or on the Internet, to thoroughly investigate the situation first-hand by living as a practicing Muslim for a year before being allowed to draw conclusions and writing about them.

If they can sever like and dislike, along with greed, anger, and delusion, regardless of their difference in nature, they will all accomplish the Buddha Path.. ~ Sutra of Complete Enlightenment

Free speech is like a license to drive a car, or to own a gun. Like the car and the gun, freedom of speech can be abused. Buddhism imposes strong restraints on free speech, in the form of the doctrines of Right Speech. In a topic as sensitive as this one, it is a duty of each writer to check his material against the principles laid out in the sutras before posting. Parts of those sutras have already been laid out here, in this very thread.

Those who wish to simply list the perceived sins of Islam against them will get no encouragement from me. Indeed, if the current hostile climate does not change in this thread, I'm quite likely to shut it down on the basis that it is harmful to all concerned. Further, a hostile thread runs directly counter to the ToS, section 1.